Tis the season to start using more of those warming-to-the-scenes spices like: cinnamon. This ancient spice has been around for centuries. But hey! Did you know: Cinnamon has been used as a botanical medicine since about 2,700 BC – What!? Getottahere! No! It’s true! With many of its healing properties attributed to its special essential oils.

Therapeutically, cinnamon may be used for digestive problems like sluggish digestion, spasm, or colitis, according to Cristina Proano of Aromandina Essental Oils. She wants to remind you that the beneficial oil comes from the cinnamon leaf, not the cinnamon bark. It’s warming effect makes it also useful for chills, colds and respiratory infections.

Not to mention the irresistible flavor of a freshly baked cinnamon-apple pie or a hot mug of apple cider with a cinnamon stick warming your senses. But wait (as the say…) there’s more!

According to George Mateljan, author of The World’s Healthiest Foods, this sensational spice provides anti-inflammatory phytonutrients which may help prevent the unwanted clumping of blood platelets. It also has antimicrobial protection which fights against unwanted bacterial growth. Cinnamon also has significant amounts of calcium, manganese and heart-healthy dietary fiber.

All this can be achieved in only 2 teaspoons of cinnamon daily. In fact, as small as 1 gram per day (that’s 1/4 to 1/2 a teaspoon) may even reduce blood sugar levels by as much as 20% !!

So stop ignoring this sensation spice! Sprinkle it on everything! I personally like mixing 1/2 teaspoon with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and using this as a dip with my apple – a powerful mid-day snack! I have even added a teaspoon to my homemade spaghetti sauce to give it a unique and wonderful taste. Try adding it to your next pot of chili or burrito dish.

Remember to be timely, however. Cinnamon’s potency doesn’t last forever. Cinnamon powder is good for only 6 months when stored in a tightly sealed glass container that is stored in a cold dark place. While cinnamon sticks will last up to one year this way. Need more time? Put this spice in the refrigerator to extend its shelf life.

How will you spice up your life using cinnamon? Make a healthy, imaginative choice and play with all sorts of spices!